WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 (UPI) --Two powerful senators are demanding explanations from Attorney General John Ashcroft and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld as to why two United States citizens have been detained as "enemy combatants" -- a Bush administration designation that condemns them to a legal limbo in which they have no access to their attorneys or the evidence or the charges against them.

It's time the Congress started paying as much attention to the U.S. military justice system. There is no sweeping body of law the Congress has concerned itself with less than that goverining the scope and operation of the American Armed Forces.

Friday, September 6, 2002

Whispers round the flagpole

Spurious reports continue to come in from the 108th ANG unit headquartered in Topeka, Kansas. The outfit is commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Victor Brayden. If you have something to say about what's going on at the command level, leadership problems, contact THE JAG HUNTER

Investigators are also looking into the actions of Maj. Gen. Dennis T. Krupp, commanding general of the aircraft wing that includes the Osprey squadron in New River, N.C. Krupp met with the squadron in October and emphasized that computerized maintenance records were making the Osprey look bad, according to a summary written by an officer in training as an Osprey pilot.

“Skin this cat,” Krupp said, according to the officer’s notes.

Stephen J. Forsberg, editorializing in last year's Marine Corps Times wrote "someone secretly taped a meeting and sent the audiotape way outside his local chain of command."

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Jones turned an ongoing investigation by the Marine Corps Inspector General over to the DoD IG. Eight officers later faced the option between court-martial or Article 15. They all selected administrative hearings.

Now the DoDIG reports out there is no evidence of records tampering. So then, what happens now to the hapless eight? And where did that audiotape go?

WASHINGTON (AP) - A Pentagon investigation found no evidence to back up allegations that Marines altered records on the crash more than two years ago of a V-22 Osprey.

Marine officers were disciplined last year based on accusations they tampered with maintenance records. If there's no evidence, are the Marines going to reverse themselves? A better question is why wasn't this DoD investigation completed before personnel were disciplined?

''This is uncharted territory,'' says Michael Noone, military law specialist at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. ''Courts have traditionally been reluctant to interfere with the executive branch's discretion during time of war. There are really no clear standards for judges to go by.''

The Navy yesterday removed the captain of the USS Kitty Hawk, an aircraft carrier that played a key role in the war in Afghanistan, citing a "loss of confidence in the skipper's ability" to lead his crew and carry out essential missions and taskings."

Capt. Thomas Hejl, who took command of the Kitty Hawk in August 2001, was removed by Vice Adm. Robert Willard, commander of the 7th Fleet.

Tuesday, September 3, 2002

International Criminal Court Meets

The United States objects to the idea that Americans could be subject to the court's jurisdiction even if it is not a party to the pact. Washington argues that the court could be used for frivolous or politically motivated prosecutions, especially of American troops.